Saturday, July 27, 2013

Giant Peeing Statue Amuses And Enrages

I understand how it can be amusing and enraging. :)

"Bad Bad Boy" by Finnish artist Tommi Toija stands towering over the
river bank with his disproportionate body: lanky and topped with an
over-sized, round, bald head. His skin, made from clay, is a blistering
sunburnt-pink, and his wide-eyed facial expression is as hard to
decipher as the art itself.

The installation has prompted discussion between locals and opinion is
certainly divided. One Örebro resident, 62-year-old Ebba, was mildly
amused. "I think it's interesting," she told The Local. "But I am happy
it is not here forever."

Another local, 34-year-old Anna, said she "really hates" the artwork and found the act of urination "provocative."

Artist Tommi Toijas views his work in a somewhat pragmatic light: "For
me, it's just a guy peeing in the river, no more, no less. Some might
see it as a funny thing, others might be provoked," he said in a
statement.

Some have certainly been provoked as the sculpture remains as central to
conversation as the weather in Örebro. While locals seem more baffled
than upset, there does seem to be a sense of uncomfortableness amongst
many."